http://repository.vnu.edu.vn/handle/VNU_123/942
IELTS is one of the most popular international standardized
tests of English language proficiency.
Its two academic writing tasks are crucially different in
cognitive and linguistic demands, but to date, few studies have compared thein
fluence of their different task demands on test-takers’ performance.
In second language research (L2) area, two contrasting
theories on task demands are the Limited Attentional Capacity Model which
predicts a worse linguistic performance on a more complex task and the
Cognition Hypothesis which expects a better performance on a more demanding
task. My study examines the effect of task type as an important factor of task
complexity on L2 writing in a testing condition.
The study was a single-factor, repeated-measures design
which compares the performance of 30 L2 writers on task 1 and task 2 of the
IELTS Academic writing subtest.
The candidates’ writing samples were analyzed using a range
of discourse measures focusing on accuracy and complexity.
The findings showed that low demanding task (task 1 - graph
description) elicited a significantly better performance in terms of accuracy
than high demanding task (task 2 - argumentative essay).
Meanwhile, the latter was more complex in terms of
grammatical subordination and lexical variation.
The current study contributes exploratory findings to the
body of knowledge on L2 writing by investigating task complexity embedded in
different task types. The use of discourse measurement of accuracy and
complexity revealed some IELTS candidates’ languageproblems related to genre
writing.
The gained knowledge may help teachers manipulate task
features to channel learners’ attention to the area in which they fail.
Title:
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The Effect of Task Type on Accuracy and Complexity in
IELTS Academic Writing
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Authors:
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Keywords:
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Language testing;writing assessment;IELTS;task type;genre
writing;discourse measurement;accuracy;complexity
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Issue Date:
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2015
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Publisher:
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ĐHQGHN
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Series/Report no.:
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Vol. 31, No. 1;tr. 45-63
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Abstract:
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IELTS is one of the most popular international
standardized tests of English language proficiency. Its two academic writing
tasks are crucially different in cognitive and linguistic demands, but to
date, few studies have compared thein fluence of their different task demands
on test-takers’ performance. In second language research (L2) area, two
contrasting theories on task demands are the Limited Attentional Capacity
Model which predicts a worse linguistic performance on a more complex task
and the Cognition Hypothesis which expects a better performance on a more
demanding task. My study examines the effect of task type as an important
factor of task complexity on L2 writing in a testing condition. The study was
a single-factor, repeated-measures design which compares the performance of
30 L2 writers on task 1 and task 2 of the IELTS Academic writing subtest. The
candidates’ writing samples were analyzed using a range of discourse measures
focusing on accuracy and complexity. The findings showed that low demanding
task (task 1 - graph description) elicited a significantly better performance
in terms of accuracy than high demanding task (task 2 - argumentative essay).
Meanwhile, the latter was more complex in terms of grammatical subordination
and lexical variation. The current study contributes exploratory findings to
the body of knowledge on L2 writing by investigating task complexity embedded
in different task types. The use of discourse measurement of accuracy and
complexity revealed some IELTS candidates’ languageproblems related to genre
writing. The gained knowledge may help teachers manipulate task features to
channel learners’ attention to the area in which they fail.
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URI:
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ISSN:
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0866-8612
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Appears in Collections:
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